Monday, October 5, 2015

HYDROS: 2015 Season Finale at San Diego sees Oberto go out in Blaze 'O Glory

The late Bill Muncey matches his age with his 49th
career victory at the Squire Seafair Trophy race on Lake Washington in August,
1978 aboard his dominant Atlas Van Lines "Blue Blaster." (Image
source: lesliefield.com)

As typical here in Nofendersville, Hey! Y'all try
being a "One Armed Paper-hanger;" Err One-man motor racing reporter
of everythingy' in Der Vurld de Motorsporten, Ja-Ja, and see what's Yuhs miss!
Especially when Yuhs take off for the Mountain, as in Her Majesty Tahoma.

As somehow I've missed thee Memo regarding the Bayfair
race's association with the late, great Bill Muncey - since this race routinely
goes unnoticed by Mwah due to its lack 'O live media coverage...

Whilst another irony revolving around the
late "Mr. Unlimited" centered upon my commemorating the 30th
Anniversary of Bill Muncey's passing. As I'd already put to bed my expose on
said Anniversary and having flown off to Arizona for a much needed Sabbatical.

Sadly we'd witness the depth of Dannyboy
'Spike Wheldon at that weekend's Las Vegas "World Championship!" For
which I was ill prepared for with the following article being my lead story
instead.

As Messer Wheldon, who I never personally
met, although did get to see him once Up Close 'N Personal in full celebratory
mode while strutting his stuff on the Red Carpet at the J. W. Marriott the
night after his second and final Indy 500 victory. Yet, as we all know, Wheldon
later that year unfortunately suffered his own version of horroron October 16, 2011.

Twistidly, once again, this story was started
prior to our latest Open Wheel Racing driver's death. That being Justin B-I-G'
UNIT Wilson's on August 24, 2015 - as ironically both were from Great Britain
and had raced against each other beginning in their formative Karting days...

Thus, with the morbid part of this tale out
of thy way, although hopefully we'll never forget this trio of many
Championship calibre drivers to perish while doing what they loved doing! As
Muncey was instrumental in the development of Bayfair, which hosted its first
B-I-G' BOATZ race in 1964...

SAN DIEGO BAYFAIR/BILL
MUNCEY CUP

Otay, so I'm ultra Cornfuzed, since as
typical, there's very little accurate information regarding what the current
race is called on Zed Internets... Since the only article 'O sustenance is the
current sanctioning body H1 Unlimited article on the new Bill Muncey Trophy
unveiled in 2012; Huh?

As reportedly, previous winners over the
years have been awarded the Bill Muncey trophy upon winning at San Diego
Bayfair, yet beginning in 2012 H1 Unlimited commissioned a new Bill Muncey
trophy to be awarded at the ceremonies banquet to the season's High Points
champion instead, a la the Martini trophy awarded to the championship winning
team.

As the path to Shane's third consecutive
National High Points Championship was somewhat eased by the lack of one of his
fiercest competitors, Jean Theoret and the U-96 Ellstrom Elam Plus which didn't
make the show due to being unable to repair their Hull's severe damage at the
previousrace in Detroit.

Meanwhile, Kelly Stocklin, driver of the U-18
Bucket List Racing Hull suffered a flip during Friday's testing after hitting a
wave, having since been released from hospital, although revealing he'll be
wearing a back brace for awhile! And thus the twelve boat field was paired down
to just nine boats for the Bayfair weekend.

Cal Phips in the U-27 Dalton Industries Hydro
won Heat 1A whilst Shane in the U-1 Oh Boy Oberto took victory over his only
real competition in Heat 1B, his arch nemesis J. Michael Kelly and the U-5
Graham Trucking.

And in another chapter of how NO matter us
'Ol Salts' a la Oil Pressure's Geo. Phillips and myself despise change. Change
is inevitable... As I try to remember the most salient quote I've ever heard
regarding change - from one of the featured participants in the most Excellante
Documentary film Walking The Camino, Six Ways to Santiago, for which I'm probably
badly paraphrasing, Eh!

"It'll never be the same like it is right now..."

Alas, after a glorious span of four decades,
Oberto Beef Jerky will no longer sponsor an Unlimited Hydroplane; CRAP! As this
action seems akin to Anheiser Busch pulling its storied sponsorship of Bernie
Little's A-L-L conquering Miss Budweiser, or Bill Muncey's fabled Atlas Van
Lines departure from the sport!

Thus, Jimmy Shane, a Covington, WA resident
sent the Snausages' boat off in the most befitting way with a clean sweep of
the weekend. Winning all four heats entered, including the final upon having
already been crowned the 2015 National High Points Champion!

Now the hard partwill be to keep the Miss Madison operation
intact, as hopefully a new sponsor will be quickly sorted in order for the
team's seamless transition into 2016...